For an Irish person, it is easy to assume Albania as still hidden away, under the darkness of secrecy and closure. We hear little of this country in Ireland. I visited Shkoder city, tucked away just inside Northern Albania from the border with Montenegro. Submerged in character, the city holds an old world feel with a booming cafe scene. I watched the 'city of bicycles' go about its business while sipping a Macchiato. Within hours I was getting a flavour of Albania's rural life, hitchhiking down the Shkoder-Tirana motorway and getting lifts with families and taking curious questions from friendly locals.Aside from my brief flirtations with the novelist Ismail Kadare, my cultural insights into Albania are narrow. Yet it was back here in Ireland where I learnt about Albanian contemporary art. Speaking with Gentian Lulani at his studio in Ballymaloe House, I can hear the Cork accent creep out. He is currently one Albania’s greatest artists with successful exhibitions in Ireland, the UK and Europe; and he is also a Shkoder native.

Gentian is the nephew of the renowned Albanian artist Ismail Lulani. Ismail was prolific, with works depicting Albanian heritage, rural life and landscapes of his beloved Northern Albania. I sit with Gentian in his studio, some of his uncles paintings hang on the wall looking down on us. “I do miss my Uncle, for sure. I regret missing his funeral when he passed away in 2003. I was here in Ireland at the time; it was too late for me to make the burial. Being away from home means that in some situations you can feel helpless”

His uncles influence is all around us. The painter of iconic works such as ‘The legend of Gjergj Elez Alia’ and ‘The Calvary of Kosovo people’, Ismail has left a marked impression on his nephew. Born into an artistic family in 1972, Gentian grew up in Shkoder surrounded by great works that displayed a deep affection for Albania and its people. This inspiration led Gentian to study the arts himself in Shkoder, Tirana and then Rome. “I came to Ireland in 2000, since then I have settled here at Ballymaloe House, an old Irish estate, where I paint and teach.” Gentian is in good company, as his artworks, astounding paintings with great detail and depth of feeling, hang throughout the historic rooms of Ballymaloe with the likes of Robert Ballagh and Michael Farrell.

The soft and dreamy idylls in a lot of Gentians work has brought him into his own artistic style. Beautiful women pose with an air of the sensual. “My female portraits do have a dreamy quality which I feel dictates mystery set against abstract backgrounds.” Gentians other paintings on a wall opposite us depict rich landscapes, capturing the essence of Irish country life which has become his home. “My most recent work focuses on migration.” he says, pointing to a corner of the studio where a row of miniature paintings neatly sit. “While tracing my own journey from Albania to Italy and Ireland, the experience of migration is very real and vivid for me. But these works – they are oil paintings on copper and stainless steel - have a universal appeal. It is my story but also the story of others from Albania, Kosovo and beyond. The works tie migration in with nature and the earth, but also express hope.”Looking through the finished pieces, I find a selection of works that definitely stir a range of emotions while packing a sobering punch to the viewer. The paintings evoke all the feelings that surround ‘the journey’ and of the migrant forced to leave home. Sadness, hardship, death, hope and happiness.

Gentian Lulani, takes me through the journeys in his Migration series.

Last Day At Home“I remember looking at Albania for the last time. It sticks in my memory. The landscape and mountains. So many people look at their home place for the last time before they leave.”

Pushed Out“When the Serbs and Kosovars fought, the war pushed out many people. Tears and panic, women and children. People grabbed what they could and fled. It happened in many places across the Balkans; Bosnia, Croatia and other places. And it is happening now across Syria and Ukraine. People have to leave immediately to save their lives, taking only what they can carry.”

Stormy Sea“On the boat there is a feeling of calm and positivity as you move along. As the sea gets rough, this turns to fear and uncertainty. Feelings are strong amongst everyone. You paid everything you had to get on this trip. But nothing is guaranteed as you spend the night on the boat, among stormy seas.”

Sinking Boat“The people on board left the shores of home with hope and plans but never saw a better life. The risk you take is huge. From a distance it is a boat on the seas, but if you look closer, you can see most people can’t hold on and are drowning as the ship sinks. It is happening right now off the coasts of Italy, Libya and elsewhere.”

Small Owl With Footprints On The SeaThe owl, a symbol of wisdom, is the viewer watching over the scene. Belongings float on the surface of the water, personal items of memory and connection with home. Disappearing into the sea while the stars watch down.”

Faded Boat On Still Sea“You sold everything. Hurt and sadness on a small boat.”

Looking out from Tree

Loneliness“When I arrived in Italy after my journey, I felt completely alone. The feeling that no one cares for you can stay with you for a long time at the start. Like a bird on a tree, you sit and wait for something to happen, the landscape around you seems barren. It is hard to flourish when you reach your destination. Every migrant knows this. But there is life and love in this hardship. We fight to succeed, as Albanians have done around the world from Europe to New York.”

See more of Gentian Lulani’s work here:https://www.facebook.com/GentianArtIsmail Lulani’s master works can be seen in the National Gallery of Arts, Tirana; as well as in other galleries throughout Albania.